3rd ODI: Australia win toss, bat first against Pakistan

Lahore (Web Desk): Australia won the toss and chose to bat first in the third and final One-Day International of the three-match series against Pakistan at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday, with the series evenly balanced at 1-1.

Pakistan had drawn first blood in the opening ODI with a five-wicket win, but Australia responded strongly in the second match, leveling the series with a 41-run victory and forcing a winner-takes-all encounter.

In the overall ODI rivalry, the two teams have met 113 times. Australia have dominated the head-to-head record with 72 wins, while Pakistan have come out on top 37 times. Three matches produced no result and one ended in a tie.

The most recent bilateral ODI series between the sides took place in November 2024, when Pakistan achieved a historic 2-1 series win in Australia. That victory also marked their first-ever ODI series triumph over Australia on Australian soil.

With the series finely poised, both sides entered the final match knowing that the outcome would decide the trophy. Pakistan are aiming to extend their impressive run against Australia, having also secured 2-1 series wins at home in 2022 and again in 2025 in Australia.

Australia made a single adjustment to their lineup, bringing in Cooper Connolly in place of Tanveer Sangha, while Pakistan stuck with the same playing XI from the previous match.

The final ODI carries high stakes, with the winner set to clinch the three-match series.

Teams

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat, Babar Azam, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Abdul Samad, Shadab Khan, Arafat Minhas, Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Haris Rauf and Abrar Ahmed.

Australia: Matt Short, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis (c/wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Matt Renshaw, Ollie Peake, Nathan Ellis, Cooper Connolly, Adam Zampa and Matt Kuhnemann.